
SABBATH SCHOOL LESSON QUARTERLY
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temple would have sounded the Saviour's praise."—"Desire
of Ages," page 592.
3.
The very question, "Who is this?" reveals an ignorance
of Jesus that is widespread to-day. When Saul, on the way
to Damascus, fell terror-stricken to the earth, and heard the
voice of Jesus, he cried out, "Who art Thou, Lord?" The
answer came clear and definite, "I am Jesus whom thou
persecutest." It was enough. Saul's next trembling ques-
tion was, "Lord, what wilt Thou have me to do?" So here
the multitude answered, "This is Jesus." It is our privilege
to be part of a multitude to tell the world, by our lives and
by our words: "This is Jesus. Hear ye Him."
4.
"Christ was following the Jewish custom for a royal
entry. The animal on which He rode was that ridden by the
kings of Israel, and prophecy had foretold that thus the
Messiah should come to His kingdom. No sooner was He
seated upon the colt than a loud shout of triumph rent the
air. The multitude hailed Him as Messiah, their King.
Jesus now accepted the homage which He had never before
permitted, and the disciples received this as proof that their
glad hopes were to be realized by seeing Him established on
the throne. The multitude were convinced that the hour of
their emancipation was at hand. In imagination they saw
the Roman armies driven from Jerusalem, and Israel once
more an independent nation. All were happy and excited;
the people vied with one another in paying Him homage.
They could not display outward pomp and splendor, but they
gave Him the worship of happy hearts. They were unable
to present Him with costly gifts, but they spread their outer
garments as a carpet in His path, and they also strewed the
leafy branches of the olive and palm in the way. They could
lead the triumphal procession with no royal standards, but
they cut down the spreading palm boughs, Nature's emblem
of victory, and waved them aloft with loud acclamations and
hosannas."—"Desire of Ages," page 570.
5.
This is not the first cleansing of the temple, though it
is the only one recorded by Matthew. In John 2: 13-16 is
the account of an earlier cleansing, which probably took
place in the first year of Jesus' ministry. Though the two
accounts are similar, they should not be confused.